06-06-06
FIO Members,
There has been a lot going on under the
falkin investing roof over the last few months, and as members everyone should have the right to know
what's really going on. I am writing this post as a letter to address all of the good things, great things, and things that I am currently not content with. Before anything is said I want to
first thank all members for their continued support for the FIO as a not-for-profit organization. Your dedication and activity is the sole reason why we are still around today.
First tackling our stock competitions, Falkin V has taught us a lot since its start just over two months ago. The Falkin series as a whole has been a huge success, as we have had close to
1,000 competitors compete for our crown. Falkin V though has been a struggle due to our new rules regarding options trading. Simply put,
options trading has gotten out of control in Falkin V. It has become a huge problem because it is nearly impossible to regulate with options enabled. We have contestants with over $200,000 in equity, which not only makes people not want to try anymore, but also takes away from the core of what we are about. Our trading competitions are
about having fun, meeting new people, and most importantly learning something new. This hasn't been the main case for Falkin V, and I want everyone to know that change is on its way. I promise you that
Falkin VI will not only bring back the our theme, but will be the
best free stock competition with prizes on the web.
With Falkin VI set to begin in next month
, there is a lot of collaboration, marketing, and registration that needs to take place here in June within our site. I have worked through the past month shrinking our site to
contain only the most useful information. Our
community forums have also been compressed, which thus far has been a success. One of the freshest plans we have right now is to create a
new blog within our site, combining not only community news, but also our stock competitions. Everything from registration to leader board updates to our
staff's eating habits will be blogged on. I feel that members need a better way to peer into our organization and community, because we are all in this together. By the end of this month expect our
new community blog to be rocking and rolling.
With our new blog in place, our community will live up to the "2.0" title which is now stated on our
homepage. But, with everything fresh and up to date, there is
still one important piece of the puzzle missing. Falkin Investing Corp. is a registered not-for-profit organization within the state of Michigan and the United States. What we do not have though is 501c (3) status, which is basically
the plaque that signifies non-profit status. Once we have this, not only do all donations into the FIO become legal tax write-0ffs, but also we are eligible for tons of
free financial support from the government and companies. The application is 20 pages and takes roughly 90 hours (according to the IRS) to complete. I am ready to fill this out and apply, but to send it in you need a
$150 application fee. As a result the FIO staff is
pooling together money to get this application in, and we feel you should know that any support is helpful. $5 speaks in a big way just as much as $50 speaks. If you would like to donate, please transfer your donation to my paypal address,
blain.reinkensmeyer@gmail.com. I know that within our now almost 400 members we can raise this money and make this a reality.
In closing here, it has been
quite a journey so far for our organization. There have been lots of bumps in the road, but we have found a way to push through the storms and press on. I have personally met so many great people from across the globe that I can't even remmeber everyone's names. It has been such a
pleasure to be a part of our community, and I know that future shines under the best of lights. The FIO is going to be amongst the best sites out there for
education, community, and accomplishing goals. Thanks for taking the time to read this letter, and always
To the future,
Blain Reinkensmeyer
"The Head Hancho"
Falkin Investing Organization
www.falkininvesting.com
